Wheel rim with removable side ring



` tion 22.

United States Patent() This invention relates to wheel rims landparticularly to a wheel having a removable side ring .for use on trucks,construction equipment land other vehicles having large tires.

It is Ian object `of the present invention to provide a rim assemblyhaving a removable side ring which incorporates means for positivelydriving the side ring in vrotation wit-h the rim base,` therebyeliminating .angular slippage of the side ring on the rim base.

It is another object vof the present invention to provide t a wheelassembly of the above character utilizing a driving lug forming :adriving con-nection between the rim base and the side ring and whereinthe driving lug i-s 3,106,237 Patented Oct. 18, `1963 2 will .cause theside 'wall of the tire to exert an axially outward torce on the -sidering 12 attempting to displace-the side ring 4from the rim base.However, the side ring is held on the rim base by alock ring, las willbe more fully explained hereinafter.

The side ring 12 and the rim base 10 `are locked together torco-r-otation by lstructure which includes a slot 32 formed in the rimbase 10' and extending inwardly from the outboard edge thereof into thegutter 14. The slot 32 has opposite side walls or shoulders 314 and aradially ice Y inwardly and I'axially outwardly sloping rear wall 36. A

secured in place in the assembly in a simple, convenient and positivemanner.

It i-s another object of the presen-t invention to provide..

a rim assembly of .the :above character which ris strong, reliable inoperation and inexpensive Vof manufacture.

These :and other objects of the present invention will become .apparenttrom the fol-lowing detailed description, taken .in conjunction `withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

lFIGURE l is ga fragmentary cross-sectionalview of a wheel rim assemblyembodying the principlesof 'the present invention;

FIG. 2 is `:an exploded perspective viewof `the structure of FIG. 1,excepttfor the O-ring; t

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the fstructure of FIG. l,

driving lug 38 is disposed partly in the slot 36 and projects radiallyoutwardly therefrom. The lug 38 has a rib 40 at its radially outer endan :a rib `or shoulder portion 42 at its radially inner side. A tace 44is formed between the ribs and 42 and defines the bottom of a recess orcircumferentiall'y extending groove between the ribs 40 and 42. The sidering 12 has lan annular axially outwardly extending rib 46 provided withan laxially outwardly open slot 48 disposed adjacent the slot 32 and ofa width to receive the radially outer portion of the driving lug 38snugly arranged to engage the' driving lug 38 on cincumferentially Iopposite sides thereof. l'Ihe lock ring portions 52 lie iiatly againstthe lug face 44 and hold the lug 38 against the wall 26 of theside ring:12. YIn this position, the lug 38 is seourelyvheld against movement outof the slot 32.

. Rad-ially outward movement of the vlug .is prevented by the engagementof the rib 42 with the underside ofthe lock ring port-ions. Radiallyinward movement of the lug is restrained by the wall 36, as well las 'bythe engagement of the rib 40 with the radially outer sides of the of thepresent invention will be seen to include a rim base j 10, which, atitsinboard side, has the. standard integral side flange and bead seatl(not shown). A removable side ring 12 ispositioned at the outboardrsideof the rim.

During use, the side iing`12 is locked in position, but it may bedetached to facilitate rem-oval of the tire `adapted to -be carried bythe rim. The rim b-ase 1li has an annular gutter 14 formed thereinadjacent its outboard edge, while an :annular Oring ygroove 16 is formedin the rim base 10 in a location spaced slightly axially inwardly of thegutter 14. As may be seen in FIG. 2, a rib 18 separates the groove 16from the gutter 14. The gutter 14 has a radially extending annularshoulder 20 that iaces in an inboard direction toward the rib 18.

The side ring is provided with a generally cylindrical bead seat portion22 concentrically surrounding the rim base 10 and a radially outwardlyextending ange portion 24 projecting from the outboard side of the beadseat por- 'Ihe flange 24 has lan outer wall 26 facing in au outboarddirection. One bead of the tire carried bythe rim is adapted to rest onthe bead seat portion 22, while the side wall of the tire engages theilange portion 24. The rirn illustrated herein is intended to carry Eatubeless tire 4and inflationary air pressure tor the tire is admittedthrough a valve 28 mounted in the rim base =10. A seal member in theform of a rubber O-ring 30 is positioned in the groove 16 for engagementwith the radially inner surface of the side ring '12, thereby preventingthe loss of inflationary air pressure through the space between the sidering y12 land the Vbase `10. As inthe case of all rims having removableside rings, inflationary yair pressnre lock ring portions 52.Oircumferential movement of the lug" 38 onl the 'base is, of course,prevented .by the slot side 34. With the `lng in position, attemptedrotation of the Lside ring on theurim base 10 will cause one ofthe sidelwalls of the slot 48 to contact the lng 38, whereupon further rotationof the side ring relative to the rim base li-s prevented. y v

rllhe lassemblyof the lng 38 in position'is extremely "simple and onlyrequires the expansion of the lock ring to spread the portions `5-2sutliciently far 'apart to permit the lug to be inserted therebetween.Of course, the side ring v1.2 is `first sleeved over the rim base whenthe tire is deflated and, with the side ring laxially inward of itsnormal posi-tion, the lock ring 50l is expanded to a diameter suicientto enable it to be positioned over the rim and dropped into the gutterI14. When the tire is subsequently inilated, the side ring will beforced into abutment with the inboard side of the lock ring.

vWhile it will he apparentl that the preferred embodiment hereinillustrated is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, itwill be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification,variation and change without departing from the proper `scope or fairmeaning of the subjoine-d claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rim construction including a rim base having a gutter adjacent oneedge thereof and a slot extending from said one edge into said gutter, acontinuous side ring on said, rim base having an axially projectingportion provided with a slot adjacent the slot in said base, a separatedriving element having portions disposed in both yof said slots Vtoprevent relative rotation between said side ring and rim, said lock ringhaving at least one portion adjacent the split therein engaging saiddriving relement on the side thereof opposite from said side ring toprevent displacement of said driving element from said slot.

2. A rim construction including la rirn base having a gutter adjacentone edge thereof and a slot extending axially inwardly from the outboardedge of said rim into said gutter, a continuous side ring on said basehaving an axially projecting rib extending annularly about the outboardside thereof, said rib being provided with a slot therein which is openin an outboard direction, a separate driving element having portionsdisposed in both of said slots to prevent relative rotation between saidside ring and said rim, and a split lock ring seated in said gutter toprevent movement of said side ring axially off of said rim, said lockring having portions Iadjacent the split therein engaging said drivingelement on the loutboard side thereof holding said driving elementagainst an outboard facing surface of said side ring and being operableto plrevent displacement of said driving element from said s ots.

3. A rim construction including a rim base having a gutter adjacent the`outboard edge thereof and a slot extending axially inwardly fromsaidoutboard edge into said gutter, la continuous side ring on said rim basehaving a pair of spaced shoulder portions defining an openingtherebetween arranged in radial alignment with the slot in said rimbase, -a separate driving element having a portion disposed in the slotof said rim base and a portion disposed be-tween the `shoulder portionsof said sidering to prevent relative rotation between said ring and saidrim, |and a split lock ring seated in said gutter to prevent movement ofsaid side ring axially off of said rim, said lock ring having at leastone portion adjacent the split therein engaging said driving element onthe outboard side thereof holding said driving element against lanoutboard facing surface of said side ring `and Ibeing operable toprevent radial movement of said driving element in at least onedirection.

4. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which said driving element has`a rib adjacent the radially inner edge there-of engageable with theradially inner side of said lock ring.

5. The structure set forth in claim l in which said driving element hasa rib adjacent the radially outer edge thereof engageable with theradially outer side of said split lock ring.

6. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which said rim base has anaxially outwardly extending surface adjacent the slot in said rim basewhich is engageable with said driving element to limit axially inwardmovement of said driving element out `of said rim base slot.

7. A rim construction including a rim base having a gutter adjacent oneedge thereof and la slot extending axially inwardly from the outboardedge of said rim base into said gutter, a continuous side ring on saidibase having an axially projecting rib extending annularly about theoutboard side thereof, said rib being provided with a slot therein whichis open in an outboard direction, a separate driving element havingportions `disposed in both of said slots to prevent relative rotationbetween said side ring and said rim base, said driving element beingprovided with a circumferentially extending groove on the outboard sidethereof, and a split lock ring seated in said gutter to prevent movementof said side ring axially off of said rim, said lock ring having atleast one portion of reduced axial thickness extending into said grooveand a pair of oppositely facing shoulders on opposite sides of saiddriving element disposed adjacent opposite sides of said Vdrivingelement.

y8. A rim construction including a rim base having a gutter adjacent theoutboard edge thereof and a slot extending axially inwardly from saidoutboard edge into said gutter, a continuous side ring on said rim lbasehaving an axially outwardly projecting `annular rib extendingtherearound and provided with a slot which is open to the outboard edgethereof, a separate driving element having portions disposed in both ofsaid slots to prevent relative rotation between said side ring and saidrim base, a split lock ring seated in said gutter to prevent movement ofsaid side ring axially off of said rim, said lock ring having at leastone portion `of reduced axial thickness adjacent the split thereinengaging said driving element on an outboard facing surface thereof andoppositely facing shoulders on opposite sides of said driving element, arib on said `driving element adjacent the radially inner edge thereofengageable with said lock ring portion of reduced axial thickness forlimiting radially outward movement o-f said driving element, and meansfor limiting radially inward movement of said 'driving element relativeto said lock ring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS959,236 Ley May 24, 1910 2,105,829 Woodward Jan. 18, 1938 3,063,538Gerbeth Oct. l0, 1961 3,043,358 Scott July 10, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS1,067,100() France Jan. 27, 1954

1. A RIM CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING A RIM BASE HAVING A GUTTER ADJACENT ONEEDGE THEREOF AND A SLOT EXTENDING FROM SAID ONE EDGE INTO SAID GUTTER, ACONTINUOUS SIDE RING ON SAID RIM BASE HAVING AN AXIALLY PROJECTINGPORTION PROVIDED WITH A SLOT ADJACENT THE SLOT IN SAID BASE, A SEPARATEDRIVING ELEMENT HAVE PORTIONS DISPOSED IN BOTH OF SAID SLOTS TO PREVENTRELATIVE ROTATION BETWEEN SAID SIDE RING AND SAID RIM BASE, AND A SPLITLOCK RING SEATED IN SAID GUTTER TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID SIDE RINGAXIALLY OFF OF SAID RIM, SAID LOCK RING HAVING AT LEAST ONE PORTIONADJACENT THE SPLIT THEREIN ENGAGING SAID DRIVING ELEMENT ON THE SIDETHEREOF OPPOSITE FROM SAID SIDE RING TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF SAIDDRIVING ELEMENT FROM SAID SLOT.